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"I need to do this, even on the slight chance that it goes the way we want it to okay!" those were the last words Sarah had said to me before she basically went on a suicide mission to see if her dad would choose her if it was really down to the wire. That was three hours ago.
"Jay what if something happened to her? If ward-" JJ grabs my hand, looking me directly in the eye, rubbing circles to my palm. "She can handle herself, Li. This is Sarah Cameron we're talking about here, she's gonna be fine." he brings our intertwined hands to his lips, kissing mine softly as Pope, kie and john B come up behind us with firewood in their hands.
"Hey, there she is," john b whispers to us as they lay down the firewood and all of us rush toward the shore as Sarah pulls the boat up, turning off the motor and hopping out as JJ and pope tie the anchor to some weeds in the shallow part of the beach.
"Sar how did it go?" I start walking back to shore with both John b and her and she sniffles. "You guys were right. It didn't work. I'm sorry guys ."
"Sar it's not your fault-" I start to say before JJ comes in, stopping my sentence. " Welp, then that settles it, guys. No, y'all need to load up in the paddy wagon and get the heck out of dodge right now."
"Right, you'll need supplies, and you'll have to split up as soon as possible." Pope adds on and I make eye contact with kie as sirens echo behind us.
"Guys I think it's too late." We glance towards where the sound is coming from, an alarmed look crossing both of their faces.
"They followed you here?" We all look as the boats speed our way, "Must've been your father."
"We have to find another way out of here." we start frantically grabbing all of the stuff we have scattered on the beach.
"Stay on the beach with your hands in the air!" The voice of the officer booms through the air and suddenly I'm being shoved forward as we all book it towards the woods. JJ grabs my hand as the other wraps around my waist.
I can hear sarah whimpering behind us, but I'm too focused on making sure that we can navigate the terrain ahead of us. once we reach the water, JJ lets go of my hand to help her into the water and we all start paddling as fast as we possibly can. once we reach the shore again, all of us huddle behind a branched out tree, cops pouring in from every angle.
"We're gonna have to make a stand." JJ whispers as he pulls the gun out of his pocket, drying it off before he loads it, ready to fight for his best friend. I let my back hit the hard bark of the tree as I slide down, laying my head onto Sarah's shoulder as our hands intertwine.
John B glances down at Sarah and then at JJ and before I can process what is happening, he takes the gun out of JJ's hand, dropping it on the ground.
"It's gonna be alright." he sighs before backing up. "here we go."
He puts his hands up, walking towards the officers, and another gets out of the car, his gun drawn.
"John B! Step out into the clearing!" my dad's voice shouts and immediately bile starts rising in my throat. "I'm surrendering!" John B yells back in response as all of us start to stand up.
"Now the rest of you, stay right where you are. Keep your hands where I can see them." I swallow hard, trying to keep what's left in my stomach there as John B takes another step forward.
"Listen Covey, I wanna testify."
"It's about time. Get down. Don't move a muscle. Everybody else don't move." My dad demands, approaching John b as another officer yells at us to stay put.
It all happens faster than my eyes could processes and John B is on the ground, officer Thomas beating the shit out of him as all of my friends scream at him to stop, but I'm frozen in place, looking only at my dad. he makes eye contact for a second before glancing down at my swollen stomach.
"Aren't you gonna do something Covey!?" JJ shouts at him but my dad's eyes are only glued to me as Thomas knocks John B out cold.
"fuck." I feel myself whisper before my knees buckle underneath me and I start falling face first onto the ground. JJ's arms manage to catch me right before I make contact, and the contents of my stomach are emptied out onto the dirt, much to my effort of stopping them.
my arms instinctively wrap around my abdomen as I breathe heavily, JJ's arms now on top of mine as he lets my body weight fall into him.
"I said don't move. Now get up right now." the officer pushes, and I can't even bring myself to look up or say anything. "She's pregnant, you asshole, so leave her alone. She can't control it." Kie fires back and the air thickens around us and every eye goes to my dad.
I glance at Kie to see her face turn stone and JJ squeezes my hand as I pant, trying to catch my breath.
"Covey is this true?" Officer Thomas pushes and a sigh escapes my dads mouth and I hear a 'shit' muffled my his breath.
"Pick up Rutledge and bring him to the station, Thomas. I'll deal with the rest." My dad stops and turns towards us and I feel my heart drop to my stomach.
"You lot," he gestures to Kie, Pope, Sar and JJ, "are going back to you're worried parents. And you," he points directly at me and I clamp onto JJ's hand, hard. "Are coming home with me so we can get you cleaned up."
"There is no way in hell I am going home with you." He stands there for a second, stunned, before he takes a few steps forward and I immediately feel JJ pull me behind him.
"Don't make a scene now Delilah. Just come home with me and we can figure this out," he gestures down to my protruding stomach and I feel a fire set behind my eyes.
"This, is my child dad. Not an it or a thing you need to deal with. So please just leave, I can take care of myself," JJ pulls me up to a standing position and I brush the dirt off myself as I see my dads eyes go dark and I freeze.
"Delilah you are coming home with me or I swear to god I'll make you regret you were ever in the world to begin with." Like I haven't heard that every day since char died. I open my mouth to say something but JJ steps in, not letting me say another word to my father.
"You aren't laying a hand on her. Not if I have any say in it. Delilah doesn't know when to quit trying on people who aren't worth it but I do. So stay far away from her or I swear to god you'll never hear the end of it. Got it?"
"Is that a threat?"
"No sir, it's a promise." With that he holds tightly onto my hand as he pulls us out of the line of fire, the other three following in suit. "Not gonna lie baby, that was kind of hot." I whisper underneath my breath and I hear him chuckle next to me.
"Only you Covey, only you."
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Hey it's finally summer. I was a little preoccupied with clinicals but I am back and better than ever! I hope you enjoyed this spastically written chapter an bare with me for a few months until I get my head on straight. Have a good forth my loves!
